Same Old Thing
by Hazy Jean
Summary: Series Loyal. Character Insertion. When Yusuke agreed to become Genkai's chosen successor he didn't know exactly what he was signing up for. Genkai's niece aims to help, but soon she too is drawn into the punky Spirit Detective's misadventures. OCx?


Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Yu Yu Hakusho, they belong to the brilliant;y creative and talented Yoshihiro Togashi.

Summary: An OC insertion YYH fic. Starting from the Genkai tournament's end and hopefully stretching towards the end of the series. So without further ado...

**--Same Old Thing--**

_---Chapter One---_

--The Way I Am--

"_If you are not up to the challenge, then you can leave. I will not waste my breath on lost cases and you come pretty close."_

Yusuke had never met such a crotchety old woman. All she needed was a bottle of booze and a pair chain smoking friends; chop a few years off her aging face, and she may as well be his mother. It was why he had taken early to calling her grandma. He never met his own and he always had imagined his grandmother to be something like Genkai. At least he did when he was younger, much younger. His childhood had left him years and years before, now he was just a punk.

The proudest punk his high school had ever seen. Kuwabara was a stupid second, but Yusuke knew that he was the only one that came even close to touching him. Still, Kuwabara served his purpose well: that purpose being a blabbering punching bag.

"_If you do not choose stay, don't ever come back. I have other people who would kill to be in your position."_

Crotchety. Crotchety and lethal. A strange combination to say the least.

Yusuke remembered the day he had agreed to be the heir to the great and powerful Genkai. That day being yesterday and all. It was his job, Koenma had had Botan practically shoving orders down Yusuke's throat. He hated to admit that he looked up to her. No adult had ever wanted to nurture his destructive instincts, no adult wanted to nurture him at all. But he would never admit to those feelings, seeing as how he didn't understand them fully on his own.

So after one night of fitful sleep and weak pain killers, Genkai was prepared to begin Yusuke's training.

It was six o' clock in the morning. Six. In the morning. As Yusuke groaned, snapping his neck into place, he realized that never in his whole life had he been awake at the god-forsaken hour.

_Damn it. _He thought to himself, rubbing his shoulders awake. _This bites. _

He stood in a small, sun patched, clearing at least a mile away from Genkai's traditional estate. _I didn't know the sun was up this early. There! _

"Lesson learned," He joked to himself, "Can I go back to sleep now?"

"No you can't, dimwit. This isn't kindergarten." Genkai snapped, appearing from the folds of foliage. Genkai may have well as been the poster-woman for deceiving looks. She was short, shorter than the demon thief Hiei who Yusuke had just recently tackled with. Her skin was wrinkled, like any other older woman, her hair a dulling shade of pink, her eyes dark and round. Her small frame was only made smaller by baggy clothes and that crazy little hat. As much as Yusuke tried, which wasn't much, he just couldn't take her seriously.

Of course Genkai wasn't an idiot. She knew this 'spirit detective' needed some serious molding. And she was just the right person to pound the clay. Why else would Koenma come to her on his knees?

Yusuke was a hard case, but she loved challenges. Yusuke would learn. That or he would die...

"Listen up!" She said, loudly. "This is were mercy ends, got it?

Yusuke blinked, surprised by the life in such an old thing. He smirked, excited.

"Give me all you got, grandma." He said.

Genkai smiled, crouching down into her favorite attack position. "For starters I want you to give _me_ all you got. I need to see for myself what I'm dealing with."

Yusuke did his best to mimic her form. "You got it."

"Goodbye Misora-chan!" The girls tittered, waving their hands in frenzy. Emi forced her most endearing smile, but refused to wave back at them.

"See ya', Asahi-chan, Hikari-chan, Dai-chan!" She smiled, until the three girls skipped around the corner and out of sight.

She moaned in relief, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jacket, a black umbrella hanging from a strap wrapped around her wrist. The rain had stopped for now, but those spring showers could appear and disappear faster than a decent meal at a fat camp.

"Well," she said, talking to herself, "I'll never do that again."

_How Gran talked me into a sleepover in the first place is beyond me! All they wanted to do was talk about boys and make-up and boys. How boring. _

Emi was a recluse. The older she got, the more time she spent at school the more she realized that she just wasn't meant to have friends. She didn't dislike people, no, that wasn't it. She just felt more comfortable by herself and she hated conversation.

_Besides, I have Gran, I really don't need anybody else. Not now..._

She walked down the rain slicked street towards the train station, whispering to herself and swinging the umbrella around. She neglected to notice that she was being pursued.

The train station in her sights, she picked up her speed excited to be going home again. But her path was blocked by a figure that jumped out of a small alleyway. She was surprised to see that it was a boy who could only have been a few years older than her, definitely a high school student.

"Hey doll, you wanna get really wet?"

Her disgust caught her off guard and she was forcibly pushed from behind and into the shadowy alley. She clutched her umbrella and bag close to her chest, heart beat elevating considerably.

Trying to turn back to the open mouth of the street she realized that three other boys had crowded around, all leering.

"Aw, I like it when they scream." One said, practically drooling.

"Shit Takamori, who cares? Let's get that jacket off, honey." Another said, grabbing at her shoulder.

Emi glared, flipping the umbrella around quickly. Her legs slid apart and she swung the umbrella, now a makeshift weapon, skillfully, its pointed tip catching the first pervert in the forehead. He let out a sling of curses backing up into the wall, hands flying to cover his bruised face. Emi pivoted and aimed a hard kick right to his abdomen.

He choked this time, unable to speak, sliding to the wet ground. The other boys looked wide-eyed at their fallen comrade. But Emi wasted no time. She spun the umbrella around smacking another offender upside the back of his head, as he fell forward her knee caught his stomach sending him backwards once more.

By this time the others caught on and one grabbed her collar pulling her backwards. Prepared for such a predictable move Emi propelled herself backwards, flipping over the boys shoulder easily and landing on her two feet.

"Shit!" She spun around a grim grin plastered on her face and thrust her palm into his nose. A sickening crack resounded through out the small space and the man pulled back, blood oozing out his broken nose.

The last boy came at her strong, fists swinging. She dodged his arms, sliding around him and grabbing her umbrella with both hands. It felt slippery in her grip, but she gripped it tightly. The man rumbled toward her again, but she was ready. She tripped him up, kicking at his ankle and with one swift movement brought the umbrella down full force onto his greasy head. His face smacked into the pavement successfully knocking him out cold.

With all her strength the umbrella had popped open.

"Whoops!" She said coolly, retracing it with a 'shink' and sliding her wrist through the grip loop once more. The alleyway was now decorated with the moaning and groaning bodies of four justifiably humbled boys. Emi brushed her brown bangs out of her face, satisfied. "That'll teach you!"

She flipped the umbrella up over her right shoulder, skipping out of the alley and onto the street. She didn't even bother a glance back at her unfortunate attackers. She had a train to catch after all.

Emi panted, finally reaching the top of the stairs that stretched from the entrance all the way to the front gate.

She always tried to count how many stairs but usually lost count around 300. This time she had gotten to 367. As she always did, she spun around and gazed at the panoramic view. A vast forest, filled with who knew what, spread out about her Gran's territory. Birds chirped peacefully and the sound of a far away river greeted Emi's tired ears.

It was a far cry away from the bustling city and throngs of people, something Raimei always enjoyed. Just her and Gran in their very own private forest. Who was she to complain about the nasty creatures and low class demons that infested most areas of the trees? It just made it more fun.

Emi absolutely hated school. School made her wear that hideous red and navy uniform with the uncomfortable skirt and childish sailor bow. School forced her to make friends, friends who never understood her and never tried. But most of all, school took her away from the forest. The two hour commute wasn't something she enjoyed much, either. School was just one big suck.

Emi shook the negative thoughts away, it didn't matter; she had one full day before classes started again the next day. She walked up to the house, feeling renewed. She could smell Genkai's cooking from the front door. She dropped her things by the entrance, slipping her shoes off and running across the wooden porch.

Sliding the door open with extra force she exclaimed. "I'm home!"

But it wasn't her Gran sitting at the low table. She blinked, confused. A large sweat drop sliding down the forehead reflecting her feelings.

Yusuke sat his mouth wide open intent on swallowing a rather large rice ball. He had been interrupted by a loud, damp girl.

"Who the hell are you?" They said simultaneously. Each regarded the other with shrewd eyes.

The boy pointed at himself presumptuously arrogant. "Yusuke."

"I'm Emi." Again they answered at the same time. It would have been funny, if Yusuke wasn't totally impatient, and if Emi didn't think this boy was a gluttonous burglar.

Before a fight of any kind could break out Genkai appeared from the kitchen another bowl of rice and vegetables.

"Ah Emi, I see you've met Yusuke." She said, calmly taking her seat across from Yusuke.

Emi stared at Genkai, crossing her arms and cocking her hip. "Met Yusuke? What is Yusuke doing here?"

Emi didn't like the idea of tenants or guests. It had never been like her Gran to invite outsiders into their home. Unless...Yusuke did look rather beat. He had a growing lump on the side of his head and he sported not one, but two deeply purple black eyes. It was as if he had been fighting...or worse, training.

"How could you!" Emi all but screamed. "You send me off for a 'fun weekend with friends' and you go and pick out a successor! Gran! _I'm_ your successor. How times to I have to tell you-"

Genkai stood up, reached out and smacked Emi over the back of her head, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"Look missy. I've told ya once, so I don't mind telling you again. You are not my successor! This dimwit is!" Genkai growled, pointing over her shoulder at Yusuke, who was munching on his rice ball. "When I pass on, you will be the guardian of this out post. I have no intention of passing my techniques onto you."

Emi grumbled. She had heard this lecture before. "But Gran! I've done nothing but train and go to school just like you ask. Then you go and pick this...dimwit out of the crowd and name him the one! It's not fair!"

"Don't whine, Emi, it doesn't suit you." Genkai scolded, taking her seat once more and sipping her tea.

Emi huffed, taking her seat and crossing her legs. Well, it wasn't her seat per say, Yusuke was in her seat. It wasn't fair, but she wasn't going to push Genkai. Yusuke chewed away looking between them interested, but flinched when he moved his neck too fast. Choking loudly on the lump of food he pounded his chest wildly, wincing when that too caused him pain.

Emi looked at him and then at Genkai with wide eyes, incredulous. "_This_ is you successor?"

"Quiet, Emi. Yusuke was chosen only because he became the champion of the Genkai Tournament that was held this past weekend. Pity you weren't there. Like or not, this kid's the strongest of the bunch and I expect great things."

Yusuke having finally composed himself and conquered his cough grabbed another rice ball and stuffed it into his mouth. "Hey thanks, Grandma."

"Shut up." Genkai said, sipping her tea. "You're not out of the woods. This'll be a long six months."

Emi steamed, stumbling over her words. "Oh jeez Gran, you named a tournament after yourself. Where's the humility?"

Genkai just smirked mischievously. "Don't take it personally, Emi. I really had no choice spirit world practically begged me. Besides, you'll be assisting in Yusuke's training regimen."

She cheered up in instant. "You want me to help?"

"You want her to help?" Yusuke said, his turn to be shocked. "But she's a girl!"

That earned the thoughtless spirit detective to whacks to the head.

"And what d'you think_ I_ am an alligator?" Genkai snapped angrily.

"Well you got the coloring for it..." Yusuke muttered under his breath making Emi laugh.

"You can help as long as you don't encourage him." Genkai said, glaring at her charge. Emi nodded excitedly, trying to contain herself.

"Anything you need Gran!" She said, mock saluting. Genkai rolled her eyes, clearing the table and disappearing into the kitchen once more.

Yusuke munched away on the last of his late breakfast and Emi watched him carefully.

_He doesn't look like much, but neither do I...And if Gran decided to take him on he must be somewhat decent...I'm surprised she hasn't scared him off yet._

"So who're you anyway?" Yusuke asked, not really caring. He plopped down onto the floor completely wiped.

"I'm Emi." She said again.

"Yeah I got that part." Yusuke muttered sarcastically. "Are you really the old hags granddaughter."

Emi laughed. "No. She's my auntie, really. But I've called her Gran for as along as I can remember. I don't think she minds."

Yusuke picked a grain of rice out of his teeth. "Aunt huh?"

"Yeah, she took me in. Nice of her. I've lived here since I was five."

Yusuke didn't ask any more questions. Raimei sat, hunched over not really knowing what to say at all. She really did hate conversation.

Genkai reappeared, rubbing her hands against her yukata. "Well, let's get out there. Yusuke, up on your feet."

Yusuke groaned so loudly, Emi thought his vocal chords might burst. "Are you kidding, lady? We've been at it for four hours already."

"And that means you got six hours to go!" Genkai snapped. She reached out and grabbed Yusuke's ear pulling him painfully to his feet.

"Ouch! Back it up, ha-"

"Call that one more time and I'll take that ear right off!" Genkai threatened. Yusuke and Emi both know she meant it. Emi stood up, brushing off her skirt.

"Gran can I-?"

"Yeah, yeah. Get changed and get out to the field." Genkai said, brushing her off and pulling Yusuke along. Emi pumped her fist in the air gleefully.

_I guess having a guest won't be all that bad..._

Soon weeks turned into months and Yusuke was making steady progress. Raimei had been right not to underestimate his skills. He had truckloads more spirit energy than she did, even if she hated to admit it.

Genkai had trained her in combat from an early age and her concept of strategy was much more refined than Yusuke's. That is, if you considered Yusuke to have any strategy at all. Everything he did was on impulse and instinct. Emi was surprised at how well it worked for him.

Every morning she went to wake Yusuke and they sparred in the woods. At first it was just awkward, Emi being passive and Yusuke just beat tired. Soon thought the two began to let down their guard respectively.

"She did that?" Yusuke said, laughing hoarsely after a particularly tough day of training. Genkai had him trying to balance his spirit energy on his finger alone. Something Emi couldn't even imagine doing.

Emi nodded, splashing cool water onto her face. Her black hair was plastered to her sweaty skin and it took her a while to gather it into its typical ponytail. "You bet. That's why we have a post office box now, the mail man filed a complaint of assault and battery...Totally overacting but the city granted his requests anyway..."

Yusuke ran a towel through his damp locks. "Crazy ol' bat..."

Emi laughed, falling to the ground scooting over to the edge of the wooden porch, letting legs dangle over the edge. Yusuke groaned, cracking the bones in his back and he joined her.

They sat in silence for a while. Yusuke recuperating while she was lost in thought.

"Emi? Hey Emi!"

"Yeah?"

"You never said why you live with Grandma," Yusuke said, trying to sound uninterested.

She smiled serenely. "I don't really know myself..."

"I never really knew my dad or mom. Mom, Genkai's baby sister, wasn't a very good person. At least that's what I've overheard. Gran doesn't speak of her anymore."

She looked down at her reflection swirling around on the surface on the water bowl that rested in her lap. Strands of her hair fell into her face, dripping water into the bowl. She was smiled serenely, "I'm a parentless child."

Yusuke thought of his own mother: stretched out on the floor in the early morning, cigarette butts strewn around the floor. An empty bottle here, a tipped glass there.

"A parentless kid, huh?" He said, thoughtful. "Must be nice."

Emi laughed again, pouring water over her face again relishing in it's cool blast. "It is. Most of the time."

She stood up stretching her legs and leaned against the railing. The sun was just beginning to set. She had school in the morning. And once again, thanks to Yusuke, she hadn't done a lick of homework or studying. Her grades were dropping rapidly, but she found that if she paid attention to Yusuke's training regimen she could mimic a lot of the techniques Genkai taught Yusuke. She practiced on her own time, mostly while walking to school. She just couldn't bear it if Yusuke surpassed her to a far, far greater level.

She and Yusuke sat in silence a moment longer. Genkai came out, not having broken a sweat she had been brewing up some more tea. "Ready for part two?"

Yusuke and Emi stood up, their muscles sore and their bones aching. "Hell yes!"

As determined as Emi was not to be left behind she still found herself being outdone. Yusuke's improvement, thanks to Genkai's rigid training, was far surpassing her own. Granted she had to leave for school everyday. But she rushed home as soon as she could and spent evenings and weekends at Genkai's side.

Emi went to bed every night exhausted from the weekends of activity on top of school. At this point, she was not getting any homework done, but Genkai didn't seem to care.

One night, the last week of Yusuke's boot camp, Emi stood outside her bedroom on her own private patio looking at the stars. They shone bright without the egregious light pollution of the city. Ever since she was little Emi had looked to the stars whenever she felt waves of loneliness or depression. It wasn't too often, mostly around her birthday and times when Genkai was in one of her moods.

She sighed, running fingers through her damaged dark locks. She was always bothered by her wooden tendrils of hair, she always admired her Gran's wavy locks. But she refused to cut it short not wanting to look like some poser boy. So most of the times she swept it up into a low side ponytail, her bangs neatly combed over to one side of her forehead. When she let it out at night, it was a mess; a too obvious dent always present where the had hair met the tie.

She ruffled her fingers through it trying to displace the mass of dry raven strands.

"It's late, Emi." It was Genkai.

"I know Gran, I was just heading off to bed." Raimei said, trying to sound pleasant.

"Emi. Have you come to terms with it?" Genkai asked, never one to beat around the bush. She stood in the doorway a small lantern in one frail hand.

Emi sighed. She returned to the warm room, sliding the door behind her slowly. She only turned around when it finally closed with a soft snap.

"With what, Gran?"

"He's leaving in four days. I must say I'm not entirely finished with him, but he has a life to live. Can't deprive him of simple human rights, I guess," Genkai rambled, sounding annoyed.

Emi said nothing, falling onto her mattress that lay on the floor. She pulled a large blanket over her body, snuggling up to it.

"Emi."

"I know, I know. It's just-" Raimei paused. "I like having Yusuke around. He's a great sparring partner."

Genkai raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Oh, surely you can see it?" Emi gushed dreamily. "I've never seen fighter like him! Not that I've seen many fighters...But Gran! He's so motivated. Sometimes, when he's really focused, I mean, well, I can just feel his drive. It's contagious. I've never wanted to fight someone so badly before. Not out of anger or fear or even desire to win. I just want to fight. To kick his ass! And then do it all over again."

Genkai smiled knowingly. That was Yusuke alright.

"Gran. Please continue to train me. I'm getting better. I could be-"

"You will be the guardian here someday." Genkai said, her tone final. "I have to taught you all you need to know. And you have worked hard to refine your skills. You are all you need to be, Emi. Yusuke has been fated to protect this world. His job is too heavy. I would never wish it on you."

"But Gran! If I could just hone in my spirit energy...the way Yusuke has—I would be-"

"Out of the question Emi," Genkai said, sounding impatient. "Wake Yusuke in the morning. Head out to the mountains. Make it a race and you better beat him."

Emi sighed, defeated. "Alright. Goodnight."

She rolled over, but sleep wasn't going to come. Thoughts were rushing around in her head: disappointment and realization.

_Could this really be all there is? _

Raimei woke up extra early on that fateful morning. She pulled on a pair of black leggings and grabbed her favorite blue t-shirt.

She slid the door to Yusuke's room open. It was pitch black and if he wasn't snoring like a hibernating bear, she wouldn't have known that he was even in the room.

She laughed and jumped onto his mat. "Wake up, Urameshi!"

He snorted, fists flying. He managed to nick her chin, but it was enough to send her flying backwards. With an 'oof' she went sprawling backwards, flipping over and landing on the floor, hair falling into eyes.

"What the-" Yusuke had finally woken up and looked between Emi and his still clenched fist. "Oh damn. Sorry Emi...But you shouldn't sneak up on sleeping people. What'dya thinks going to happen!"

She just laughed pushing her hair back. "One more sparring match. That's all I ask!"

Yusuke, who was still rubbing sleep out of his eyes, paused. He smirked, laughing his terrible high pitched giggle. "Alright, Alright. Since you want to lose that badly!"

She ignored him racing out of the room. "Not this time!"

Emi stood at the top of the lengthy staircase. She was steps behind Genkai, after giving her Gran and her student some space for goodbyes.

Yusuke slung his pack over one shoulder trying to hide the wince that accompanied its added pressure. Her began and slow march down the stone steps. It was early morning and he had a train to catch.

He was almost out of sight when he turned and waved. His arm pumping back and forth with some fervor. "I'll be back!"

Emi blushed when he winked and she waved back not longer able to contain herself. "You sure as hell better, Urameshi!"

Yusuke laughed. "As long as you hold me to it Misora!"

Emi nodded laughing with great joy. She would miss him terribly.

Genkai peeked over her shoulder as she headed back to the shrine.

_He may be a dimwit but it sure won't be the same without him around..._

A new story! My new OC is just pouring out of me so naturally this story is a joy to write!

I have loved YYH for so many years now. I have started to rewatch the series and I am falling in love all over again. One of the best ensemble casts in any anime I have watched! There really isn't any character I hate or find annoying and I can't for the life of me pick an absolute favorite!

I hope you enjoy! Now that I have a summer to write I will be splitting my time between this fic and my death Note Fics: Carrion/100 skeletons.

**{Series Title – Same Old Thing by The Black Keys; Chapter Title – The Way I Am by Ingird Michaelson}**

Please review! Review motivate me to update at the speed of light! (Well, maybe not...the laws of physics forbid me -____-)

Thanks as always for reading!

Hazy


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